HASTINGS UNITED 3 BRENTWOOD TOWN 2

DESPITE another strong second half performance, Brentwood went out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle on the south coast on Saturday.

Two first half goals from the home side proved decisive, giving them a cushion they needed after being reduced to ten men two minutes into the second half when Sean Kelly was shown a red card for a two-footed tackle on Brentwood’s John Bradley.

With several of the squad unavailable, Brentwood gave a debut to midfielder Conor Okus who has experience with West Ham and Dagenham & Redbridge.

Blues keeper Tim Pitman made a couple of smart saves in the first ten minutes from Hastings forwards Sam Adams and Kenny Pogue and Bailo Camaro was a constant threat on the right flank.

It was Camaro who put the home side ahead in the 23rd minute, shooting home from just inside the area.

Pogue made it 2-0 in the 39th minute, scoring from a few yards out.

Blues started the second half well, forcing two corners, and looked to take the initiative after the sending off, with Dobbs moving forward from full back to support the midfield.

Hastings, though, had a trump card in Brazilian Rodrigo Branco, who made his debut coming off the bench in the 65th minute.

Blues pulled a goal back in the 70th minute. A fine cross field pass by Scott Dixon found Gardner whose low cross was deflected onto the crossbar and the ball dropped for Carvell to score with his head from a yard out.

It was 3-1 in the 73rd minute when Branco got behind the Brentwood defence again and this time went past Pitman and slotted in from an angle.

But Brentwood were back in the game when they were awarded a penalty after Okus was fouled by Tim Olorunda. Subuola confidently converted the spot kick to score his seventh goal of the season.

Subuola went close a few minutes later when, under pressure, he poked the ball goalwards but the ball went just wide of the post with Pelling stranded.

Brentwood Town: Pitman, Dobbs, Rolls, Love, Wilson, Bradley, Gardner, Okus, Subuola, Carvell, Dixon.